The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) has received accreditation for its microbiology testing laboratory from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) of India.

This is the first internationally recognised lab in the country approved for testing microbiological components in food items. It will conduct chemical and microbiological analysis of food products and ensure that food exporters comply with pre-defined standards, the department said.

The department has received international accreditation for testing and product certification covering 27 different parameters including protein, micro-level fatty acid, dietary fibres and vitamins. 

The European Union has provided financial assistance to set up the lab which is fitted with internationally accepted food testing equipment.  

DFTQC Director General Sanjeev Kumar Karna said the department received international recognition for microbiological testing last week. “Following the ISO 17025 certification, we can now offer internationally recognized certificates to exporters,” he said. 

According to Karna, the certification now enables the department to conduct tests using 14 parameters including coliform count, e-coli counts, total place count and yeast/mould count, among others. 

The coliform count helps to assess the total number of bacteria present in edibles besides determining whether they are suitable for consumption. Likewise, The e-coli count shows the level of contamination in food items. Food with a zero e-coli 

count is free of risk for consumption. 

Similarly, total plate count measures the nature of bacterial growth in food. The yeast/mould count helps to assess the freshness of food items by measuring the growth of fungi. The department said that the food certified by accredited labs was a pre-condition for export in many countries. The lab is an effective tool to address non-tariff barriers in the export of food items. 

“Although this does not ensure that all countries will allow entry of the tested food items, certification will be the first gateway to carry out food business in foreign lands,” Karna said. 

According to him, some countries require testing of specific parameters that are suitable for their countrymen. “For this purpose, we need to have mutual recognition agreement with these countries,” said Karna, adding that the government was in the process of signing a memorandum of understanding with Bangladesh, China, India and Bhutan. These countries are among the main importers of Nepali food products. 

Recently, the government has been facilitating the export of high export potential food items. Of the 12 products identified in Nepal Trade Integration Strategy 2016, four are agricultural and forest-based products—ginger, large cardamom, tea and medicinal herbs.